German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking at a Turkish-German Economic Forum in Istanbul in October 2006, said she personally favors a privileged partnership arrangement for Türkiye rather than full European Union membership, yet affirmed that Germany would honor all obligations already agreed upon under the principle of pacta sunt servanda.
Merkel praised Türkiye's reform efforts, saying the changes underway benefit Turkish citizens rather than serving European interests, and she encouraged German businesses to take part in privatization opportunities in Türkiye. She also highlighted the positive role of IMF-linked cooperation projects.
On EU accession, she noted that full membership talks had opened on 3 October 2005 and that she had held candid discussions with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the matter. She stressed that the Ankara Protocol, covering fundamental trade freedoms, remains a key obligation Türkiye must fulfill, and called for a more constructive public debate around that requirement.
Merkel underlined the depth of bilateral ties, citing the approximately 2.5 million Turkish nationals living in Germany as central to the relationship. She also announced a new domestic dialogue initiative aimed at improving Germany's engagement with Islamic culture, stating that violence carried out in the name of religion is entirely unacceptable.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in October 2006, in its own words.